The invention relates to an assembly of separable plastic components and members forming a supporting cradle for engine units requiring a protective translation device for their movement from one station or location to another, with rapid manual securement of the engine to and its release from the cradle. The cradles can be mounted on a conveyor line, a platform or rack for transportation by a lift truck to a motorized common carrier or railroad car or secured to equipment in any other material handling system.
In the past, engine cradles have been made of steel and, although adequately supported, they have not been as protective of their loads in translation as is required. Additionally, means for locking the engine into the cradle have been complex mechanisms often difficult to manipulate for engagement of the engine in and its disengagement from the cradle.
In numerous instances, costly engine units have become displaced in their supporting cradles during translation so that substantial damage has occurred. Often also, exterior surfaces of the engines have been damaged by metal-to-metal contact with their supporting cradles, even though not significantly misplaced therein. Racks made of steel have increased substantially the load weight carried by trucks and railroad cars, and such added weight has been a severe burden, not only in costs of the material handling equipment but also on account of the substantially high energy requirements of the power units, i.e. lift trucks, truck engines and locomotives hauling these loads.
Losses in damaged engines and excessive weight transportation charges have become most significant factors in material handling costs. The instant invention was designed to provide a solution to this problem.